Nowhere to run, not in this tight confined space Neil called an office. Stench, hideous nightmarish, wafting through the doorway. Tendrils of evil reaching for her soul. Even as she grips Gabriel’s arm, it is in the doorway in all its decaying entirety. Bulbous, burning eyes that haunt the pits of her deepest fears, seared so indelibly into her mind over the last 2 days.

From behind her Neil’s voice raises to a terrified scream. “Oh God get me out of here! GET ME OUT OF HERE!” Gabriel’s sharp hiss of breath. “Get out of there Bronx...” His hand gripping her elbow, his breath against her temple as he moves beside her. Strong fingers, sliding down to grasp her own so tightly for a brief moment. So small a gesture, yet it touches her, comforts even in the midst of terrifying reality.

Burning orbs meet steely dark eyes. Flame and ice. No fear but a rising, intense anger. Concentration Bronx...concentration...Memories of her mother. You have no right...no right at all you demon...Gaze challenges gaze. Dimly she hears hysterical screaming. Neil. Even the memory of him recedes, her head regal and defiant, her thoughts crystal clear in intense concentration.

Abomination...! The hiss is so loud in her mind it almost makes her flinch. Abomination, you and he...accursed of the earth...Deformed, tentacle-limb slithering through the air towards her face. Beside her a low hiss. Gabriel. Fingers clench on the cold surface of her eight-sided mirror. No more abomination than you are, you hell-spawn. A challenge raised, her mind gaining strength as she focuses her will.

“Earth. Fire. Free the lightning, bind the will, earth to earth, Yen-Lo Wang be my judge!” Words so long unspoken in her mother’s bell-like, fluid Chinese, cried out like a prayer of vengeance to heaven, a retribution for her pain, a grieving for her loss. Up flashes her hand, the mirror gleaming like a thousand ice-crystals.

Agony. Her head explodes with pain. A scream wrenched from the pits of her soul. Her back slamming against rock hardness. Paralyzing pain, wetness, stickiness. Blood. The world spins; dimly she hears a voice shouting her name. Gabriel...numbly her mind makes the connection; she reaches out, a solid surface meets her hand. Neil’s desk. She forces herself up, ignoring the intense agony.

Hissing in her mind, so coldly triumphant. Fool...you cannot run Matsu Kajima...there is no place in nature for abominations, you nor he...The pain is excrutiating. Noise. Dim screaming thudding in her ears. Reality wavers.

A strong arm steadies her. “Bronx you ok?” Gabriel’s voice urgent, soft. A rough rasp from her throat. “Yeh.” It is hard to breath. Her chest constricts, her throat tightens. Her head aches.

A wraith-like hiss from the creature; a step forward. The rank stench of fetid decay and rotting soil fills the air. Gabriel’s talisman flashes, his hand grasps it tightly and raises it.

A screech of rage and intense fury; suddenly a tentacled sweep of one grotesque limb lashes out faster than the eye can follow. Gabriel staggers back with a cry, a spasm of pain contracting his face, slamming into the wall. He crumples to the floor.

“Gabriel!” Pain is forgotten in the ugly welt of blood that carves its way across his chest. She is by his side in an instant, dropping to her knees. Give it up, abomination...again and again the hissing sounded in her mind. Give it up...there is no room for your kind here... She ignores it, for now. “Gabriel...dammit Gabriel don’t die on me...” The foulness moves closer. Gabriel stirs, groans a little. “B...Bronx...” His glazed eyes seek hers.

Rage. A fury more intense than her deepest passion engulfs her, overtakes every fiber of being. Dark eyes narrow to near slits; she reaches to squeeze Gabriel’s hand tightly for a moment. Then she stands.

Barely three feet apart, predator and prey. She does not know that her eyes are terrible in their pristine coldness, that her face seems chiselled from the forges of Hades itself. She pushes the present away. Now it is time for action...for revenge. Her mind, always so clear in emergencies, hones to razor-keen concentration. You shall not have me...nor Gabriel...and with all of me I swear...I will hunt you, demon spawn....

Her mirror! Where is it? The creature advances. Fuseli-like nightmarish countenance, distorted yet terribly human, fixed on her face. A cold glitter of glass from the corner by Neil’s desk. Too far to reach in time.

Calm Matsu, calm...Her mother’s soft voice reaches through her anger, through the years of training in the ways of the spirit world. Calm. Stillness. Concentration. Again she blocks out the world, retreats to that quiet void within herself that holds her reservoir of strength.

Sudden thrust, a hard push. Unprepared, she staggers forward. The rotting smell of fear and death is so pungent in her nostrils; she gasps a moment, struggling for breath.

An iron grip she remembers only too well seizes her throat, cuts off her wind-pipe. Struggle after struggle, gasp after gasp for precious air. Blood thundering in her ears. Temples throbbing. Dimly she hears a growl of rage. Hideous laughter. “Neil you...my GOD you bloody swine...”

The world swims before her eyes. Dizziness. Neil’s voice laughing hysterically. “It’s over Knight...it’s not after me...So let’s give it what it wants....” More laughter. Demonic almost, at least to her ailing senses. Hold on Matsu...keep...fighting....

A lunge, a thud, a shattering. Neil’s voice, pitched high in sudden fear. “Dammit...Knight! What the...Knight! Don’t touch me...!” A sharp crack, bone against bone. An unearthly babbling scream from Neil. “My ARM!!! You....” A soft thud and a gasp. Gabriel’s voice, hissing with fury. “I’ll break your neck for this, you bloody b--”

Suddenly the grip on her throat is released. She buckles to the floor, one hand flying to her bruised throat, gulp after gulp of sweet air flooding her starved lungs. The world falters about her, paper dolls in the wind. Blur. Laughter, distorted snarling, hissing...

Scream. And scream again. Rips the air, wracks her ears...”NOOOO! GET AWAY FROM ME! NOOOOO....!” Soft, ripping tearing sounds. The sickening crack and snap of living bone. Shriek after shriek. Then suddenly it stops abruptly.

“Bronx...!” A strong hand practically lifts her from the ground. She stumbles. The tug grows even more insistent. “Come on girl...we haven’t much....time....” Gabriel’s voice is strained, tight. Her vision clears; she staggers forward, looks up into hell.

Blood. Glistening, thick, viscid, it is everywhere, the walls, the desk...Torn bloody remains of what was once Neil Rhodes. Above this carnage, the beast stands, deformed head raised to the heavens like a desecrated prayer; even in her stunned mind, the brief thought flashes. A supplication, almost a horrifying sacred moment to the smell of death and blood...

A stagger, a heavy brush on her arm. She turns, senses sharpened by horror. Gabriel’s face, pale, knotted in pain. A shock back into reality; her arm goes around his waist, her shoulder to his arm, supporting him. “Lean ‘gainst me Gabriel...” Quickly...quickly, Bronx...before the demon-spawn is distracted...

Frantic pace. Half-dragging, half-supporting Gabriel’s weight. Her back is warm and sticky but she casts it aside. Focus Bronx...focus...Her father’s inner strength, all the training of his exorcist abilities her legacy, now called to its hardest test. Concentration. Let the present slip from you save the most important things...

The air slaps her face like a shockwave. Oppressive, eerie, restless like the wind that howls and tugs at her jacket. Shadows everywhere, the smell and taste of violence and approaching storms. Gabriel’s breath comes labored and heavy against her hair. “Hurry Bronx...there’s not much of Neil to hold it any longer than it needs...”

Run Bronx...run...The few paces to Gabriel’s bike are the longest she remembers; the pounding of her heart, the throbbing of her temples, Gabriel’s stifled gasps of pain. “Give me your keys Gabriel.” She turns, encountering his furrowed brow and startled look. “I said, give me your keys dammit! You can’t drive in this condition! And don’t EVEN start arguing...” as he opens his mouth to protest. Her voice is edged with impatience and annoyance. Forgive me Gabriel but there’s no time...she whispers silently.

A low, reluctant growl from Gabriel as she snatches the keys from his unwilling grasp. “Be careful with my bike dammit Bronx...you best not crash it OR us...” She ignores him and hoists him into the pillion. This earns a stifled grunt of pain. “And what makes you think...” He takes a deep breath as she throws her long legs over the seat in front of him. “What makes you think you can drive this baby...?” Sarcasm, but more out of sheer habit than actual barb. Unseen by him, one corner of her lips quirks into a lopsided smile. Just like old times Gabriel...for a brief moment her mind takes her back 10 years. She slams the key into the ignition and kickstarts the engine to a throaty roar. "Women's Lib," she flings back tersely as the bike guns into the night.

Lightning. One jagged streak after the other tears the sky apart. Buildings fly past, streets left behind them as she guns the bike full throttle. “You all right Gabriel?” She takes her eyes off the road to look behind at him. Dark eyes soften with worry.

His hand comes away sticky with clotted blood. “As all right as it gets with this....” A bump in the road, she turns back hastily. A slight wince against her. “Watch that road Bronx!” She starts as his hand touches her back briefly. “Dammit you’re bleeding still...” The touch moves to her neck and the ugly red welts left by the creature’s grip. A savage note creeping into his voice. “I can’t believe he threw you to that creature...By God I’m glad I broke that swine’s arm...”

“I’m fine Gabriel...” Now that the danger of the moment is past, at least for now, the pain is excrutiating. Be strong, Matsu...like the pine tree you’re named after...be strong. Engine roar. Distance devoured. The road is deserted, as she knows it will be. Trees flash by. The wind whips her face.

“It’s gonna come for us Bronx.” Gabriel’s voice is matter-of-fact, strained. A short, mirthless laugh from her. “Tell me something new Gabriel.” A mere snort from him and no more; her heart contracts a little with fear. Dammit Gabriel you’re hurt worse than I thought...

A familiar sign flashes into view; she turns down it at once onto a narrow dirt path. Gabriel’s hiss of pain. “Where the hell...” She cuts him off. “You need patching up Gabriel.” Her head throbs in agony, her back aches but she forces it to the back of her mind. Discipline. Concentration.

Woodlands. The bike manuevers jerkily along the rough bumps in the dirt. Pine needles, slick and yielding. “Sorry about the bumps Gabriel...” she throws over her shoulder, gritting her teeth as the jolts send waves of pain through her body, her head. A little chuckle of laughter from him, an attempt to deflect the gravity of their situation. “Considering I don’t remember you ever having a bike Bronx...you’re doin’ pretty well.” She snorts. “I’ll have you remember I DID have a bike, Gabriel Knight...i was circuit champion in our town.” A skid, a bump, a jolt over some unseen obstacle. “You’re not serious, Matsu Kajima...” Incredulity tinged with his usual sarcasm. “You didn’t look like you could cut butter 10 years ago let alone handle a bike this size.”

Shadows loom. The wind howls, a soul in torment, stronger and fiercer than before. A sharp sting in her heart as his words bring back old heartaches with a rush. “Shows how little you knew about me Gabriel. Then and now.” A sharp retort; she hates herself for it. Forgive me Gabriel I can’t help the way I feel about you...

Smell of the ocean, unmistakeable tang. A skid as pine needles churn under the wheels. The trees give way to a slight clearing. A deft, sharp turn. Her long legs drop to the ground for traction; the engine cuts with a low grumbling purr. She dismounts slowly, takes Gabriel’s arm and drapes it over her shoulder before he can protest. “No arguments Gabriel. You’re in pain and I know it so cut the macho act and let me look at it.”

“And they wonder why I don’t support Women’s Lib.” Sarcasm dripping from each word as she helps him from the bike, supports him to a nearby tree, sitting him against it. “All women as bossy as you?”

A quick undoing of coat and shirt; slender fingers, surprisingly gentle, probe the wound. “It’s a gift Gabriel.” The gash is deep, yet not as serious as it looks. Her heart leaps with relief. “Now sit still. I’m going to clean this mess up so you look slightly more presentable.” A pause as she examines the gash again. “It might hurt a little.”

Gabriel snorts, but his strained, pale face belies his light words. “Now you tell me.” He settles back against the tree. “Just hurry it up before Mr. Sunshine gets here. He can’t be far behind.” A sobering thought indeed. She bites her lip, then bends her head to the task at hand.

Off comes her coat, then her cream cotten shirt; involuntarily she shivers a little in the fierce howling wind. Her short black crop top offers little to no protection at all but she shrugs off the chill. A slight furrow of concentration as she rips the shirt into strips. Silence for a moment as gentle hands mop up the crimson gore. “Don’t stand so close to dangerous objects next time. You’ll live longer.”

A long painful breath as he slowly exhales. Shakes his head, rolls his eyes. “Thanks for the advice.” A wince as the cloth touches the raw wound. “How's your back by the way?” His hand reaches to brush the welts on her neck gently again.

The sudden concern disconcerts her. “I've...had worse...” she counters quickly. Dammit...stop shaking! she scolds herself. Her fingers are trembling. “I'll be fine, Gabriel. I'm a weed. Remember?” Matsu Kajima stop acting like an overgrown fool...her mind screams. Emotions dam at the floodgates. Be strong Matsu....dammit be strong...

A slow nod, a frown. “Of course I remember Bronx.” His eyes lock onto her face. “I don't forget things about women...not the interesting ones.”

Crimson rises, her cheeks burn. Dark eyes drop, avert themselves. “Didn't expect you to remember much about this woman Gabriel.” Her head pounds; she is slightly breathless. “I wasn't much to remember then anyway.” A slight little chuckle, an attempt to recover composure. “Long black hair, face like a horse and a bike from hell...” A tremble in her voice. She begins to bandage the wound.

He flinches under her touch and bites his lip. She can feel his gaze on her. “I don't know... I don't agree with you.” A quick glance upward, enough to see the roguish smile on his lips despite the obvious discomfort in his eyes. She drops her gaze again. Concentrate Matsu...she tells herself fiercely.

“I always thought you were somewhat sexy to be honest, Bronx.” It startles her enough for her to look up sharply, her fingers stumbling for a moment. “You...You did not!” Sheer habit, rather than a desire to be disagreeable. Her mind reels. No Gabriel...you cannot have thought so...you can’t have...!

A sharp flinch. “Ow! Dammit watch what your doing!” His gaze catches hers in an intense stare. “And I did too!” She bites her lip. “I'm sorry Gabriel...” A deep flush. Emotions, always so sternly held in check, threaten to overflow the dams of silence built around them. Tears so dangerously close to her eyes.

A bloodstained hand reaches to touch her cheek. Lifting her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes, his brow furrowed. “What's wrong, Bronx?”

The dam breaks. Hot tears spill down her cheeks; she turns her face away. “Don't make it harder Gabriel...” Lost dreams resurge. Grieving, sadness buried away for 10 years under layers of indifference, practicality, independance. “Why didn't you tell me...then? Why now?” Her voice is husky, agonized, wrenched from her very soul. “Dammit I loved you then, I tried to forget you...so...bloody...hard!” She is crying in earnest now. “It's been 10 years Gabriel...God forgive me I still can't forget and I still love you and it still bloody well hurts...”

His hand drops from her face. Through her tears she can see his lips drawn into a low frown. “I... I'm sorry Matsu...” Guilt, sadness... deep pain in his eyes. “I didn't mean to hurt you...I swear Bronx...it was...just one of those things...” His voice trails off, the lingering ache in it almost breaks her heart. Matsu...be strong...God forgive me I can’t be, not now, not any more....her heart cries out. And yet from her father’s legacy comes the inner strength that has sustained her through so much. She draws on it now.

“I know you didn't mean it Gabriel...” Her chest is tight, the hurt a physical constriction. “It's just...me being stupid. Gal dreams.” A long, shaking breath. “I'll live.”

Gabriel breaks the gaze, averts his face a moment. “There's very few people who I've even considered...in that way, Bronx...” He bites his lip, shakes his head. “You picked the wrong guy.”

She stumbles to her feet wordlessly. Hand to her mouth, she can taste blood. Stumbling to lean against the tree beside her, back towards him. “Yeh. Or i picked the wrong gal to live as.” The ache in her heart as fresh as it was 10 years ago. Gabriel...why couldn’t you have told me then...Not now when we’re both different, when we’ve passed the chances...when “it could have been” hurts so much more...Her head throbs, her entire body riddled with dull pain...

A gentle touch on her shoulder. Strong arms pull her back, turning her reluctant body around. Gabriel’s intense eyes look down into her own, lovingly, tenderly. “Don't be too hasty...” His voice barely a whisper. A moment as he searches her face. Then she is pulled into a tender embrace and his lips meet hers in a soft kiss.

A quick sharp intake of breath. Dark eyes widen. Her head tilts up to him, a little sob catching in her throat. Time seems to stop for that one moment. Matsu dammit get control of yourself! her mind screams. Gabriel’s arms tighten around her, so comforting, a haven so desperately needed in the tidal wave of events for the past two days, driving away rationality for the first time in many many years...

The howling. A crescendo that chills the spine, exceeds the wind’s own voice. She stiffens; Gabriel’s eyes meet hers and she knows he has heard it too. The kiss breaks, he turns his head sharply, listening. “Looks like interlude’s over,” she murmurs. Crimson cheeks. She pushes away, resolutely suppressing the frustration of having this precious moment interrupted. Concentrate Matsu...there is work to be done. “Wonderful sense of timing it has...” The sense of loss so strong. The comment unnecessary but hiding what needs to be hidden...

A light frown, his finger laid on her lips. His head tilts. I think it's over there.” His voice is soft, urgent. A nod in the direction where the bike is parked. “We have to hurry...”

A nod. Pain is pushes aside, the efficient, hard-as-nails facet taking over. “Die one die all merrily,” she flings over her shoulder as she turns. A deep breath. Cold concentrated determination. I’m ready for you hell-spawn...let us see who stands when this is through. You or I